Hi,

We are planning a trip to Tanzania this December . . .flying from Europe to Nairobi. The flight arrives in the morning (before 9am) & then we plan to catch a flight to Kilimanjaro, to be at JRO before noon.

All of the tour companies seem to suggest the first day/night in Arusha. And then from there, driving to Tarangire or Lake Manyara.

But it seems like Arusha is an unnecessary rest stop. Can't we just meet our driver at JRO airport and then drive direct to Lake Manyara or Tarangire? Then rest there. not sure how long a drive it would be, but it seems like its better to get that drive over with, and then be in a great location . . . instead of heading to Arusha which doesn't seem so interesting and in effect losing a day.

Am I being too harsh on Arusha?

Thanks!

The stop in Arusha is for people to recover from jet lag and the long time spent in a pressurized, aluminum tube. It's not really about seeing Arusha. And, it's a lot cheaper to stay in Arusha than in a lodge, as well as, you're not paying for a driver/guide and vehicle while you're sleeping.

I did the overnight from LHR to NBO to JRO, arriving mid-day, followed by a drive to Moshi, and although I wasn't too tired, I did take a nap that afternoon that lasted through dinner and into the morning.

So, I'd compare the lodging costs and and see how much more it would cost to spend a night in Tarangire or Lake Manyara, and see if it's worthwhile. Also, you know best how well you recover from long flights and respond to jetlag.

lifelist is right on re jetlag. With screen name ExplorerNY, are you initially flying from NY via the UK and right onto NBO? If so, it's a long trip and your body might be screaming - "sleep, sleep." But then, it might not!

Arriving in JRO by noon, you can certainly head to Tarangire or Manyara... each about 2.5/hrs drive during mid-day traffic. If you haven't collapsed by then, you'll get in an afternoon game drive then overnight.

Arusha is simply an option, and yes, hotel here costs less than having the expense of guide/driver and o/n at either park on safari.

It's your safari. There's no right or wrong.

Hi,
We felt the same as you and on arrival in Arusha, we drove to Lake Manyara which I seem to remember was about a couple of hours away (or maybe slightly less). In this way we could enjoy an afternoon safari.
As the other posters say, it probably depends on how well you fly and where you are flying from. If you are flying from Europe as we were, we thought it was the best way to make the most of our time in Tanzania.

The fact that staying in Arusha is cheaper is true, but since your main expense is probably flying to Africa and I assume your primary goal is to the wildlife then it's silly to consider saving a few dollars by staying in a place where you won't see any. If you travel well, go directly to one of the parks, if not, then rest in Arusha. As I mentioned in a similar recent thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35013126

Sanctuary offers exactly this intinerary so you are not alone in considering it.

An alternative would be to take an afternoon safari through Arusha National Park. The park is between the airport and Arusha, so it's on the way. You could get picked up at the airport, cruise through Arusha National Park that afternoon, and then crash in Arusha. This way, you're not traveling very far before you're on safari, you only have to pay a day rate for a safari vehicle/driver/park fees, and you get a cheaper room in Arusha.